I decided that a heater and defroster are needed in the Lancia but instead of hooking up the factory system, I upgraded to a Vintage Air Gen-II Heater kit. The blower assembly is significantly smaller and utilizes servos to control the heat and air output, much like a modern car. This flexibility allows me to place the controls wherever electrical wiring can reach, unlike the factory unit’s control cables.

The entire assembly fits neatly under the dash, and I made a custom bracket to adapt the heater to the factory mounting studs on the firewall. Additionally, I printed a plastic duct to utilize the stock fresh air intake location under the cowl. I’m currently reprinting the duct with a flange to seal it against the underside of the cowl, mimicking the factory setup.

With the dashboard removed, I’m also installing the new defroster ducts and ensuring the dashboard top panel fits better to the body for a more polished appearance. Pictures in my next update.